Page 106 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
Marcus ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. Frustration showed in his expression. "No luck finding exact spots. They’re still hiding using fake names like you did."
Dominic tightened his jaw. "Then we’ll figure out how to save them faster."
As they approached the main cabin, the tall pine walls loomed over them. The structure acted as both the meeting place and headquarters for the pack. Inside, a large table covered in maps and scattered papers had several pack members gathered around it.
Kieran’s face lit up as soon as they entered. "How was training?"
"She’s improving." Dominic answered, before Luna could respond. The pride in his voice gave away how he felt about her progress.
Kieran let out a low whistle. "Wow. That spell seems to be working."
Luna gently slid into a chair that had been pulled out. "It's more than the spell," she remarked thoughtfully, placing a hand on her stomach. “My magic seems to be…evolving.”
Roman was the one who broke the silence, his gaze serious and focused. "It’s the child," he said with quiet certainty. "She’s making your magic stronger."
Luna gave a slight nod. "I think so. Every day, I feel…more," she said, taking a moment to find the words. "It feels like I can sense further, and my magic reacts faster than it used to."
Marcus spread out an old, wrinkled map of the Pacific Northwest and glanced toward her. "That could be helpful for tomorrow's mission," he said. "If your range has grown, we might notice traps before we step into them."
Dominic leaned over the table, his alpha presence filling the room with tension. "Where are those witches hiding?" he asked with a steady voice.
Marcus pointed to two marked spots on the map. "They’re somewhere here, but we still don’t have their exact location," he replied. “Once we rescue them, they can join the witches we rescued from being used for the portal.”
“I am not eager to rush them, they are still rebuilding their coven,” Luna’s tone softened. “When we rescue these three, they can stay here with the Pack for now.”
She turned toward Marcus. "Have you seen any other demons around and what about the portal?" The thought had been stuck in her head ever since they made their escape.
The room felt heavy with silence. Marcus shook his head and replied, "Nothing definite. Their progress with the portal is definitely stalled after your escape and the rescue of the dozen."
Kieran added, "They’re being more careful after what went down with Xavier, but they’re still out there."
Luna thought about the vision she’d had months ago—a shadow spreading through the group like venom. They had taken care of one demon, but her magic had shown her there was more to come.
Dominic stared straight into her eyes, his gray gaze firm. "We’ll find them," he promised. "And we’ll finish this."
The meeting dragged on longer than expected, lasting another hour while the team went over their rescue plans and talked about backup options.
As they wrapped up and the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, Dominic looked at the others. "Get some rest," he told them. "Tomorrow is going to be tough."
One by one, the alphas exited the room, leaving just Dominic and Luna in the cabin.
"Let me take care of you tonight," he whispered as Luna dropped into her chair with a look of fatigue on her face. His voice filled her chest with warmth.
It made her think of how much had changed since those dark days when he had run after her, and the darkness within him had taken control.
"I’d like that," she said.
Dominic drew Luna into his arms and held her up as if she were weightless. Her arms went around his neck, and she inhaled his scent.
He carried Luna through the settlement until they reached their cabin. The cabin felt warm and inviting inside with a large stone fireplace.
He set her on their king-sized bed and Luna sighed in satisfaction as she fell into the plush mattress.
As he pulled off her boots, he inquired, "Food or bath?"
"A bath," Luna mumbled. "I smell like the forest."
"You smell like you're mine." His voice had a possessive tone as he set her boots aside and walked toward the bathroom.
